Armenian Cross Being Prepared to be Moved to Aghtamar

A number of Turkish press today reported that on September 19, there will be an Armenian cross on Aghtamar Island’s Holy Cross Church.

Our correspondent in Istanbul, however, succeeded in clarifying that that’s not completely true and a final decision has yet to be made.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople is preparing to move a large cross to Aghtamar island. Currently, restoration work is being done on the cross. Since the cross is actually quite heavy, they won’t be able to lift it up and place it on the church’s dome, but the cross will be placed near Holy Cross church.

Our Istanbul correspondent also passed on certain Armenian community representatives’ viewpoints, who believe that such speculations are derivative of the Sept. 12 referendum on amendments to Turkey’s Constitution. 

According to representatives of the Armenian community in Turkey, at this time, the government, touching on the issue of prohibiting the cross, wishes to also get Turkey’s nationalists on its side. However, after Sept. 12, all issues should be clarified and talks of prohibiting the cross will cease.